Kolkata, Jan 21 (IANS) Ahead of the crucial Assembly elections in West Bengal scheduled this year, the state government on Wednesday announced the creation of 140 additional reserved posts in the state administration for West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre bureaucrats.

According to a notification issued by the state Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department, of the 140 additional reserved posts created for WBCS cadre bureaucrats, 40 will be in the rank of additional secretaries and the remaining 100 in the rank of joint secretaries.

Recently, WBCS officers had approached Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, seeking the creation of additional reserved posts in the state administration for state civil service cadre officials.

The Chief Minister had assured them that the plea would be considered, and on Wednesday, an administrative decision in the matter was announced.

Insiders at the state secretariat Nabanna said the decision will not only widen promotion channels for state civil service cadre bureaucrats, but also strengthen the presence and influence of the state cadre in the top administration.

Political observers said this was a clear message ahead of the West Bengal Assembly election scheduled later this year that the Mamata Banerjee government was on the side of the WBCS cadres.

However, the West Bengal unit of the BJP claimed that the Mamata Banerjee-led state government had been trying to give special treatment to WBCS cadre bureaucrats with a dual motive.

The BJP’s first allegation is that this was aimed at ensuring that the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state is conducted as per the whims of the Chief Minister and the ruling Trinamool Congress.

The second allegation is that the move is aimed at providing some solace to state civil service cadre officers amid the non-payment of dearness allowances at par with Central government officials, and the large unpaid arrears on that count.

–IANS

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